The NOTO office continues to receive more calls than ever from guests who are concerned that they may have problems entering Canada due to an old criminal record for offenses such as DUI. A number of operators are actively informing guest about this issue and urging them to call the NOTO office with any questions or for help with the process of applying for rehabilitation. This advice is a FREE service that NOTO provides to your guests – they do not need to pay nearly $1,000 to an “immigration consultant”!
What if a guest has a trip planned but has just discovered that they have a problem? Although the rehabilitation process often takes 4 to 6 months, all may not be lost. If they have a rehabilitation application in the system, they can still request a Temporary Residency Permit in order to complete their trip. Although this will cost them an additional $200, many guests we have spoken with are very thankful that there is a possibility of saving a planned vacation.
We also get calls from operators regarding guests who feel they were treated badly or turned back illegitimately by border officials. We urge those guests to raise their concerns directly with CBSA via their website http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/contact/com-eng.html These concerns will be followed up by officials, usually in the form of a direct phone call to the guest. This process also makes sure that complaints or comments make it into CBSA statistics.
Since I am currently leading this initiative in the NOTO office, please have your guests contact me directly by phone or email me so we can arrange a convenient time to talk about their issue and steps they can take to clear up their problem. I’ll make sure they have the necessary information and correct point of contact so their application for rehabilitation goes as smoothly as possible.
Of the many calls we have receive this winter and spring – often 5 or 6 a day – the vast majority find a solution to their issue and are able to continue a planned trip. We can’t help your guests if we don’t hear from them, so please use any opportunity you have to let us help them cross the border and visit northern Ontario.
Doug Reynolds,
NOTO Executive Director
T: 705-472-5552 ext. 23 F: 705-472-0621 E: doug@noto.net
